Dalton Is God":17vj8vq3 said:
Didn't Tony Waiters want to set up some kind of Academy back in the 70s but got rebuffed by the board?
Shame as it could have changed a lot about where we are now.
He certainly set up a youth policy and scouting system that was probably the most far reaching in Argyle's history and produced players like Mariner,Hodge,Barron,Phillips,Megson,Sutton and Aleksic who went on to play at the highest level,as well as players who became stalwarts for the club for many years,such as Hodges,Cooper,Harrison and Uzzell.It was his desire to enhance the youth system which led to his fall out with the board,as i remember he wanted to appoint another coach but the board refused and matters got ever more messy until he was sacked.The youth policy was effectively disbanded after he left and has never been as productive since-yet another example of the Argyle board not being able to finance the ideas of an ambitious and capable manager properly.
As for the Southampton way,they've shown us how it should be done for about 45 years.Produce good players such as Paine,Channon,Le Tissier,Williams etc and build a team around them rather than sell at the earliest opportunity.For sure they have sold over the years but essentially they have achieved their objectives first and used the money gained to sustain their position.It gives me no pleasure at all to say this,like others i've found some of their fans to be obxoxiously arrogant and condescending,but it's the truth unfortunately.Should Argyle wish to emulate them to any extent,a large amount of money will be needed to set up the youth system on as comprehensive a basis as was in the 1970's-franly,i won't hold my breath.